Ice Cream and First Kisses
by zimniysoldat
Summary: Just a cute little one-shot I wrote for brooklyncap on tumblr. An AU in which Natasha grew up in Brooklyn with Bucky and Steve during the Depression.


"Go, go, go," a small boy urged, while quickly scrambling down the old concrete steps. Footsteps sounded from inside the orphanage, clearly what the young child was running from. "James Buchanan Barnes, you get back here this instant, young man." The brunette being addressed just snickered with another smaller boy at his side. "Buck, we really should be going back in, they're getting mad." The blond's Brooklyn accent was evident through his worry. Hearing them, Bucky, as James's friends called him, deflated. "Alright Steve, you can go back, but I've got someone to meet up with." Without another word, he stalked down the streets of Brooklyn by himself with a destination set in mind.

Sniffling, he drew the ragged coat closer to his frame and stopped in front of a rod iron gate, a girl's orphanage lay beyond. Eyes catching a blur of red hair, he saw a girl crawling out of a window as silent as a spider and then she dropped to the ground like a cat. A smile erupted on Bucky's face as she started heading over towards him.

"Hey Buck."

"Nat," the boy smiled in return. In fluid movements she climbed over the fence and once landing the red-headed girl gave him a hug. "That's not how a lady acts," Bucky teased her. Natasha rolled her eyes and punched his upper arm whilst mutter a soft "Shut up." Wordlessly they started walking side by side, shoulders touching down the street. To them, the silence was enough, they didn't need words to communicate.

"It's cold," Bucky complained breaking the silence. Natasha snorted and shook her head. "You'd never survive the Soviet Union." Bucky didn't have much to say to that so he remained silent. Bucky glanced over to the redhead next to him. Sure, he was only 9, and maybe he didn't exactly understand, but he felt the urge to quickly peck her lips. She'd kick him though, and have his teeth knocked out in an instant. Sure, maybe she wasn't your traditional dame, but Bucky liked that, a lot actually. He briefly wondered why Steve never hung out with them, then he remembered it's nothing against them, it's his frail form that doesn't bode well in the cold.

"How's Steve," Nat spoke up as if she was reading Bucky's mind. Bucky shrugged in response shoving his hands in his pocket. Without warning Natasha pulled on his arm and they went down an alley. "It's a shortcut towards the ice cream parlor. I found a dollar yesterday and figured we should treat ourselves." Bucky smiled goofily showing off his pearly whites. "Gee, thanks Nat, that's real swell of you." The redhead just shrugged but couldn't help smile to herself at the thought of making him happy. Once they entered the ice cream shop there went right towards the counter practically sticking their faces in the glass, it was a comical sight to say the least.

"What are you going to get?"

"I don't know, maybe vanilla?"

"Vanilla, Nat? That's so boring."

"Well I like vanilla, leave me alone Barnes." Her words were laced with the barest hint of teasing, but Bucky knew, he always knew how to read her tone. She was going to get vanilla and there was nothing he could do about it. In the end, he got chocolate chip min and she got vanilla, like they always did when they were graced with the privilege of money during the Depression. Just as they were about to get out of the door, Natasha paused and looked back at the counter.

"Should we get something for Steve," she asked. Bucky hesitated and then shook his head 'no' remembering that Steve was lactose intolerant. Natasha took the answer without question and exited the shop with her ice cream cone in hand. "Clint got in trouble again," Bucky started. He knew of the close relation between the two, they were practically brother and sister. For some time they shared the same foster family before being placed back in the system. He got that information from Clint of course, Natasha was way too private for him to even know that. Natasha snorted in response, "When isn't Clint in trouble?" Bucky giggled, it was true, him and Clint were notorious for getting in trouble at the orphanage with Steve bringing up third place.

The two continued eating their ice cream in silence turning down the alley that they had originally come from. As they turned the corner they noticed some older boys around thirteen joking around and causing trouble. Natasha and Bucky froze unsure of what to do. Those few moments of hesitation were perfect for the boys to notice them. The older boys swaggered over and Bucky glanced at Natasha out of the corner of his eye seeing her so ready to fight gave him confidence and he drew courage from her aura. They boys were around them, circling them like a lion would stalk it's prey.

"Well, what do we have here?" The leader spoke. In a quick movement he snatched Bucky's ice cream and threw it on the ground. Bucky was about to react, but Natasha got there first. "Hey," she cried out in anger lunging for the older boy and leader. The surprise attack caught him off guard, causing him to fall to the ground. Her ice cream lay in a sad heap on the pavement, but chaos had erupted and she didn't have the time to mourn for not only her lost ice cream, but also her lost money.

Fists flew, grunts came from the alley and before any passerby, if they should look, could react the three older boys were on the ground moaning and clutching their crotches whilst being half covered in ice cream. "Karma's a bitch," Bucky said smugly standing over one of the boys. Natasha smirked and grabbed Bucky's hand pulling him from the alley. A rush of warmth spread up Bucky's arm and he couldn't help the smile from gracing his face while they ran from their bullies.

Once a safe distance away they pulled to a stop and erupted into a fit of giggles. Without thinking properly Bucky leant forward and kissed Natasha with a quick and chaste peck of the lips. Immediately Bucky and Natasha froze in shock. There was a deafening silence even though the Brooklyn streets were busy with life. As Nat moved Bucky flinched reflexively thinking that Nat was going to deck him for it. She surprised him though. Leaning forward Natasha placed a kiss on Bucky's lips exactly what he originally did.

Bucky's face lit up in a grn and the redhead bit her lip and smiled shyly as she took his hand once more and started walking back towards Nat's orphanage. The walk back was silent as neither knew exactly what to say. They were finally in front of her building. Bucky and Nat reluctantly let go of the other's hand.

"How about we try getting ice cream tomorrow, but go a different way?"

Bucky nodded still smiling, "Sounds swell! Same time?"

Nat nodded and then punched Bucky's arm. "Stop smiling like that, your face is gonna get stuck." Bucky didn't care though. He just smiled even wider and kissed her cheek. "See ya tomorrow, Nat."

"Bye."

As Bucky started down the blocks toward his own orphanage he thought about how amazing the day had turned out. Even the cold didn't seem to bother him as much. Sure, the ice cream turned out to be a waste of money, but Bucky was almost grateful for those bullies that had interrupted their walk. Turning into the property of his current home, immediately he heard the sounds of yelling and Sister Catherine came rushing over steering him into the building. He was briefly aware of the hands on his face brushing over the bruise forming over his cheekbone.

"...without dinner!" Bucky finally tuned into what they were saying. Oh, he was being punished for going out. Oh well, it was most definitely worth it. As he started walking towards the room he shared with Steve and a few other boys he noticed Steve fall in step with him looking exasperated but mostly concerned. There was silence as they ascended up the stairs. Steve respected that Bucky wanted the silence. Once they got into their room Steve realized they were alone and closed the door before going to his cot and sitting cross-legged.

"What happened Buck?"

The goofy smile from earlier that day returned and Bucky looked at Steve.

"I got a girl, Stevie."

"What?!"


End file.
